What Is the Difference Between a DDS & DMD?
Table of Contents
- The Difference
- Why Are There Two If They Are the Same?
- Education
- DMD & DDS Programs
- References
Dentists have a language all their own. This speech includes a clinical language that many patients do not understand. What a dentist says is not said to confuse their patients, it is just an understanding between dentists to define their procedures, tools, and in some cases their titles.
If you notice a dentist's name on their sign or their business cards, you will almost always see one of two professional designations – either “DDS” or “DMD.” One question that patients sometimes have is, “What is the difference between these two?” It is this:
DDS is short for Doctor of Dental Surgery
DMD is the abbreviation for Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry
The titles mean the same thing, and both require the same educational background and degree as required by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
Difference Between DDS and DMD
The difference in one dentist being designated as a DDS and another as a DMD really depends on where they received their respective educations. Dental schools graduate students with either degree name. But by be accredited by CODA, universities are required to set up their curriculum by CODA’s standards.
If you are considering dentistry for your education and career, you may wonder what the differences are between DDS and DMD and which you should pursue. The difference is the title given by the school, so it isn't as much a choice which you want, the DDS or DMD, but rather which school you would prefer to attend.
Salaries between DDS and DMD are in the same range. Those who hold these degrees can choose to practice family medicine for children and adults. It is also possible to monitor oral development with pediatric patients. Through this monitoring, they would make referrals to specialists for further dental work needed outside their skill level.
Why Are There Two Different Dental Degrees If There Are Not Really Any Differences?
DDS is a terminal degree for the study of dentistry. Every dentist in the United States must complete this level of education to be licensed to practice. With this degree, a dentist learns about facial and oral structures.
DMD is short for Doctor of Dental Medicine, and a dentist must complete their undergraduate classes, and then graduate from a four-year dental school. The difference between the DDS and DMD is the school chosen for education. The course work is the same, the training is the same, and both are equally qualified for the same job. Both of these can take excellent care of oral needs. The reason for the differences is explained by the Oregon Health and Science University.
The Baltimore College of Medicine granted the first DDS degrees in 1893. Soon after that, Harvard University began its dental educational classes. Harvard renamed the degree as DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine.) The disagreement in naming is the reason there are two names for the same degree.
Education After DDS or DMD
Once a dentist graduates from four years of dental school and has earned the DDS or DMD, you are now trained to enter the dental industry as a general dentist. This degree will allow you to perform oral diagnostic, surgical, and rehabilitative procedures to repair or restore missing or damaged teeth. As a general dentist, you can also perform predictive dentistry and all other aspects in one setting.
After your four-year graduation, you can pursue a career as a general dentist, or continue your education and explore other dental specialties:
Prosthodontics
Dental Anesthesiology
Pediatric Dentistry
Dental Public Health
Periodontics
Endodontics
Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics
Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
Orofacial Pain
Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
Oral Medicine
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
There are numerous choices to make after your initial four years of education to become a dentist. It is recommended you take your time and research which field will best fit your career goals and personality.
DMD and DDS Programs: Which School to Choose
Several publications rank dental schools around the country, but readers should be wary about making any decisions about these schools based on the listings. Schools offer mission-based degrees and have varying programmatic differences from others. For instance, some schools may enjoy a reputation of producing oral surgeons, while others may have a history of producing excellent orthodontists.
Before you pick a school, you want to have an idea of what you want out of a dental school and how you want to leverage your degree upon graduation.
Things to consider when shopping for a dental school include:
Curriculum type
Research and clinical focus
Geographical location (weather, size of the city, proximity to home, etc.)
Student-teacher ratio of the dental school
Overall enrollment of the university
Community-centric clinical opportunities and experiences
Internship opportunities
Faculty engagement with dental students
Alumni engagement with dental students
Any other factors that are important to you
This map will help you determine which of the schools will fit your educational goals.
| Schools Offering DMD Programs | Schools Offering DDS Programs |
|---|---|
| Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health Augusta University Boston University California North State College of Dental Medicine Case Western Reserve University East Carolina University Harvard University Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Dental Medicine Medical University of South Carolina Midwestern University (Illinois) Midwestern University (Arizona) Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine Oregon Health and Sciences University Roseman University Rutgers University Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine Temple University Texas Tech University-El Paso Tufts University University of Alabama at Birmingham University of Florida University of Louisville University of Nevada- Las Vegas University of New England University of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh University of Puerto Rico Western University of Health Sciences | Columbia University Creighton University Howard University Indiana University Loma Linda University Louisiana State University Marquette University Meharry Medical College New York University Ohio State University Stony Brook University Texas A&M University Touro College of Dental Medicine Tufts University University of Buffalo University of California- Los Angeles University of Colorado University of Detroit Mercy University of Iowa University of Kentucky University of Maryland University of Michigan University of Minnesota University of Mississippi University of Missouri-Kansas City University of Nebraska University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Oklahoma University of Pacific University of Southern California University of Tennessee University of Texas-Houston University of Utah University of Washington UT Health San Antonio Virginia Commonwealth University West Virginia University |